From the Book

Note: This excerpt does not include the lesson files. The lesson files are available with purchase of the book.

Lesson overview

Photoshop Elements offers a comprehensive suite of easy-to-use tools and a choice of three editing modes, making it easy to achieve impressive results, whatever your level of experience.

The Guided edit mode helps digital imaging novices to learn as they work, Quick edit presents an array of one-touch controls for correcting some of the most common image problems, and Expert mode delivers all the power and sophistication experienced users expect.

This lesson begins with an overview of the core concepts behind image correction, and then introduces a range of quick and easy techniques to help you get more from your photos in just a few clicks:

Making quick and easy edits in the Organizer

Batch-processing photos and using automatic fixes

Understanding the histogram, levels, and white balance

Making Quick Fix adjustments

Working in Guided edit mode

Applying editing presets selectively with the Smart Brush

Correcting an image using Smart Fix

Working with camera raw images

You’ll probably need about one and a half hours to complete this lesson.

Explore the many powerful and versatile editing tools that make it easy to get more from your photos in Photoshop Elements—even if you’re a beginner. Start with a few of the easy-to-use, one-step image correction features, and then experiment with a few more advanced techniques, such as layering preset adjustments with the Smart Brush.

Getting started

You’ll start by importing the sample images for this lesson to your CIB Catalog.

Start Photoshop Elements and click Organizer in the Welcome Screen. Check the lower right corner of the Organizer workspace to make sure the CIB Catalog is loaded—if not, choose File > Manage Catalogs and select it from the list.

Click the Import button at the upper left of the Organizer workspace and choose From Files And Folders from the drop-down menu. In the Get Photos And Videos From Files And Folders dialog box, locate and select your Lesson04 folder. Disable the automatic processing options; then, click Get Media.

Before you start this lesson, make sure you’ve installed the software on your computer from the application CD (see the Photoshop Elements 11 documentation) and that you’ve copied the Lessons folder from the CD in the back of this book onto your hard disk (see “Copying the Classroom in a Book files” on page 2). You should also have created a working catalog (see “Creating a new catalog” on page 9).